Super shots: Clean sweep for NZ teams

All five New Zealand teams picked up wins, three over South African opposition. It doesn't happen often, largely courtesy of the draw. It might not happen again this season, so enjoy.

Try of the round
No contest. Mark Ranby's 20m sprint for the Chiefs' second try in Perth ended a terrific team job, starting with Sosene Anesi's weaving run from the Chiefs 22, through several pairs of hands. Dazzling stuff.

Debut to savour
Richard Kahui, a late arrival at the Highlanders for Matt Saunders, clinched the win at Bloemfontein. Having come off the bench, he was on the end of a fine movement three minutes from the end to grab what might turn out to be a crucial road win.

I'm sorry
John Mitchell has never seemed a particularly apologetic type. But there he was after the Force's dreadful loss at home to the Chiefs: "We didn't give the crowd much to cheer about - I apologise." It was their sixth straight loss - including trial games - so it's no surprise that ...

Numbers game
The crowd at Subiaco Oval was 29,000 and 8000 down on opening night against the Brumbies a fortnight ago. And if they keep losing, the numbers will only continue to go one way, unless there are enough desperates who'll hang around to be there for the momentous first home win.

Try? Very trying
And a chance for a wee early gloat. The five New Zealand teams have rattled on 40 tries so far - the Hurricanes (13) and Crusaders (12), to no one's surprise, leading the way. The South African quintet have managed 25 - they got a grand total of five this weekend - and the Australian foursome have got 20.

Hair today ...
What is it with this hair thing? Can anyone explain the following: Jerry Collins' yellow saucer; Sosene Anesi's pale rat's tail; Rodney Blake's short sides, bushy back mullet or Matt Henjak's bleached sprout?

Your choice
Who would you rather run into with a ball under your arm: A, Rodney So'oialo; B, Jerry Collins; or C, Sam Tuitupou? And could you tell them apart when you woke up?

Ref off pal
Not a weekend for the whistlers to savour. The Sharks got away with 16 players on George Ayoub's watch at Timaru, where Aaron Mauger was denied a perfectly legitimate try through momentary official blindness. And JC Fortuin, new to Super 14, looked a bit possum-in-the-headlights in Brisbane. Cue plenty of jokes on those initials.

Bonny Scots
But best of all came from Edinburgh where Scotland showed their opening round Six Nations win over the French was no fluke by bursting England's bubble. And, all due respect to proud Scots, what does this tell us about the the best of Northern Hemisphere rugby?